Barely 12 hours after the Federal Government flagged off the the demolition of property on the right-of-way of the Lagos -Calabar Coastal Road project, affected property owners are calling for adequate compensation for their losses.
Apart from the shock of losing their property, they are worried that the federal government already embarked on demolition of houses without paying them compensation.
The affected property owners said that the issue of compensation should come first before embarking on demolition of their structures.
While some of them are considering legal action, others said they are not against the construction of the road, but that the federal government should pay them adequate compensation in tandem with today’s realities.
One of the affected property owners, Mr Adewunmi Olusola, a developer, estate surveyor, and valuer, called for adequate compensation for his property marked for demolition.
He said he was pained that his new housing development scheme of over N100 million in Lekki -Epe Axis was marked for demolition going by the alignment of the road.
“Government should come down there, take stock of what is there, pay adequate compensation. There are equity holders, those that have brought property from us, what is their fate now and who is going to pay them? Again, is that not double loses, that they are to take me to court to say you have sold us a plot of land and government has taken it. Is it me they are going to take to court or the government? Let’s been seen to be doing something right,” he said.
Another persons said their properties were marked for demolition in Ilasa-Jakande, calling on government for adequate compensation.
Flagging off the demolition of a section of Landmark Beach at the weekend, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the Federal Government would commence payment of compensation for properties that have been confirmed as from Wednesday/Thursday.
He pointed out that the demolition was necessary to clear structures on the Federal Government’s Right-of-way.
He said, “We want to start the demolition from this point. I continue to say that none of the infrastructure is affected, just the shanties, and I have directed that the beach should be shut down from tomorrow.
“The place is owned by people that are sand filling it, and at the end of the day, there is no more beach, so what we are doing is to pass our coastal road within the Right of Way of the Federal Government. Those who are playing politics with it can go ahead; my job is simple, which is to pass the coastal road.”
“From Wednesday/Thursday, I will pay the compensation, that is why I am still here and I will be here working through the week. For anyone (all that has been confirmed and deserving) being demolished, we would direct the payment to be made.
“I know that you must pay before you demolish, but this is President Bola Tinubu’s government, we have said we would pay compensation, and we are going to pay compensation,” he added.
Umahi said that he inspected kilometres 13, 16, and 20 to ensure the demolition stays along the coastal roads without much damage.
According to him, the demolition was necessary for landmark centre due to the fact thy it was on the federal government’s Right-of-way.
The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway will cost N4bn per kilometre and a whooping N15trn for the project.
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